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Era

Paleogene

PAY-lee-oh-jeen
Also Known As Tertiary Historical name for the combined interval now split into the Paleogene and Neogene periods; no longer a formally recognized stratigraphic term.
Phanerozoic

The Paleogene is the first period of the Cenozoic Era, spanning about 66 to 23.04 million years ago and comprising the Paleocene, Eocene and Oligocene epochs. It opens immediately after the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, which ended the age of non-avian dinosaurs and left ecological niches open for surviving vertebrate lineages. Mammals underwent a rapid diversification through the period, evolving from a handful of small, generalized forms into most of the major modern orders. The Paleogene and the following Neogene were formerly grouped together as the Tertiary Period, a term still in informal use though no longer formally recognized. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Rank
Period 1
Start (Million Years Ago)
66 1
Standard boundary age from the ICS International Chronostratigraphic Chart; not independently re-dated by this atlas.
End (Million Years Ago)
23.04 1
Standard boundary age from the ICS International Chronostratigraphic Chart; not independently re-dated by this atlas.
Key Event
Mammals underwent a rapid diversification through the period, evolving from a few small, generalized forms into most of the modern varieties seen today, after the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event opened ecological niches at the period's start. 1
Connections

Associated With

Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Event, Phenomena
Source Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Event (Wikipedia)

Has Geologic Rank

Geologic Period, Concepts

Precursor To

Neogene, Eras
Sources
1. Paleogene (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Introduction (K-Pg extinction)
    Much of the world's modern vertebrate diversity originated in a rapid surge of diversification in the early Paleogene, as survivors of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event took advantage of empty ecological niches.
  • Lead section
    The Paleogene Period (IPA: PAY-lee-ə-jeen, -⁠lee-oh-, PAL-ee-; also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene) is a geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period 66 Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the Neogene Period 23.04 Ma. It is the first period of the Cenozoic Era, the tenth period of the Phanerozoic and is divided into the Paleocene, Eocene, and Oligocene epochs.
  • Article text
    Mammals began a rapid diversification during this period. After the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, which saw the demise of the non-avian dinosaurs, mammals began to evolve from a few small and generalized forms into most of the modern varieties we see presently.
  • Lead section
    The earlier term Tertiary Period was used to define the time now covered by the Paleogene and subsequent Neogene periods; despite no longer being recognized as a formal stratigraphic term, Tertiary sometimes remains in informal use.
View the Source
Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Event (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction EventView the Source
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